WEBVTT FAMILIES.TONIGHT -HOW TO SPOT THE FLU IN84 KIDS IN THE U.S. HAVE DIEDRECOGNIZING EARLY SYMPTOMS ANDONE OF THE FLU STRAINS SPREADINGKOAT’S DR. BARRY RAMO SAYS WE-- HIGH ALERT.>> I THINK THE FLU IS DECREASINGTHEY PREDICT IT’LL BE WELL INTOROYALE: THAT’S SCARY TO HEAR.SHELLY AND I TELL YOU ABOUT OUR>> LIKE MANY OF YOU WE HAVE KIDSDR. RAMO SAYS THE BEST WAY TO DOALSO IF YOU’RE IN PUBLIC PLACES.WIPE DOWN SURFACESHANDS LONG ENOUGH TO SING HAPPYROYALE: DR. RAMO SAYS LOOK OUTIS YOUR CHILD IS HAVING TROUBLEEARLY DETECTION COULD SAVE YOURTHE FLU IS EVERYWHERE, AND IT’S

Three more Mainers died from the flu last week, bringing the seasonal total to 55, according to new data from the Maine Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"This number represents the number of individuals who had influenza specifically listed on their death certificate," the report warns, adding the number of flu-related deaths is likely higher since "many influenza-associated deaths are due to secondary infections."

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The weekly surveillance data for the prior week is released on Wednesdays.

According to the data, there were 636 positive lab tests for influenza, bringing the total to almost 5,000 for the season.

Those numbers, though, are only for people who went to a doctor to get tested.

The number of positive lab results is down about 25 percent week-over-week. Hospitalizations for the flu were flat.

The flu remains considered widespread across Maine, but the decrease in numbers may indicate the spread of the virus continues to slow.